Who Else Has Had Problems Getting Healthier?

I have struggled with my weight for the past several years.

Being diagnosed with clinical depression on top of a struggle with weight…..well, you could say that it has made for a tough go. Over the years, I have tried eating “healthy” and working out. Trust me I’ve tried. I’ve tried a number of different “weight loss” programs not to mention exercise regimens.

I started walking and then just eating whatever I wanted to. At the end of each try, of course nothing worked for me. This sort of repeated result is discouraging and makes you kind of just give up on trying to lose weight all together.

It really wasn’t until my place of employment started offering yoga that I really started wanting to lose weight again. Believe me, I by no means want to be “skinny”. I really just want to know that I’m healthy.

Seeing myself in workout clothes was not a pretty image for me and then seeing how difficult it was to hold certain poses was absolutely frustrating. But, I stuck with it and, after a few months of doing yoga, I was feeling a lot better about myself and just feeling better in general.

I had lost a few pounds and was definitely more flexible.

Another motivator to lose some weight is that my best friend’s wedding is coming up next month and I’d would like to have to have my bridesmaid dress taken in some!

So, about 3 weeks ago, I ordered a dress for her bridal shower, I did my measurements and ordered the dress online. When the dress finally arrived it would not zip up all the way. Boo….

I was just going to go find a cheap backup dress, but then realized that I can do this! I had 2 weeks to drop some inches and lose a few pounds. So I decided to try the Atkins diet. It was something I had never tried before because of my love for carbs. Basically, in the Atkins diet, you cut out carbs for the first two weeks, eating meats, cheeses, veggies, and eggs. After the initial 2 weeks you can start adding carbs back into your diet without over-doing it.

After 2 weeks, I was down 4lbs and several inches….Yay! I tried my dress on the week of the shower and, low and behold, it zipped right up without any trouble at all.

Meeting my first goal deadline, I was left wondering, do I want to keep doing this and stay on a healthy track or go back to the unhealthy way I was eating before? I have decided to stick with it and, while I do miss bread, pastas, and potatoes, I give myself cheat days here and there where I am able to consume some of my favorites but, again, not over-doing it.

I guess after all these years of giving up on actually being healthy, I realized that everyone’s body is different and what works for some may not work for others. So, my advice to you is to NOT give up. Hold out until you can find what works with your body!

On a side note…I also gave up Dr. Pepper and anyone that knows me knows how much I love it. While I still crave one on occasion I have felt amazing since quitting.